The Real-Life Inspiration Behind My Upcoming Novel

This November, I'm releasing my third novel - The Meet Cute Curse. It's a light-hearted romantic comedy about thirty-year-old Eloise who moves city after a bad break-up. Desperate for a new beginning, but falling into old patterns of believing that the perfect meet-cute means the perfect relationship. A story that is all too true...

I've always been a romantic at heart and this is my first adult novel. Both Facing Charlie and Who Are We To Be are YA novels, and although they can still be enjoyed by adults, they are less on the humours side. This new release however, is definitely something that the majority of adults can relate to.

A bad break-up? Check. Not quite feeling like an adult? Check. Trying to figure out what you're supposed to do with your life? Check.

The inspiration for this novel started with a real-life meet-cute moment. I had come out of a long-term relationship and was trying to find different things to occupy my time so that I didn't become a hermit. One of those was kick-boxing.

My sister did kick-boxing and since she is no longer with us, it felt like a great way to stay connected to her while also building a new skillset. What I didn't realise is that it's actually very physically taxing.

The first couple of sessions were incredibly fun but also funny. I struggled to maintain my balance. My coordination was practically non-existent. Every time I ended up in a pair with a guy, I would almost fall over.

There was however one session where I felt a lot more comfortable and determined. I got to know the group and had a few close friends. My partner for the session had a very gentle temperament and was encouraging me to really commit to some of the moves.

Well, one of the moves almost had us both on the floor but luckily for me, he caught me. I remember thinking that this would be such a perfect meet-cute moment. Although there was nothing romantic about this interaction and we remained friendly until we stopped going, it sparked an idea. An idea based on truth. What if every new interaction could be interpreted as a meet-cute?

As a storyteller, I have always envisioned the aftermath of countless interactions; of what a story could look like when two people meet. As a romantic, it's easy to try and find love in new interactions. After all, we have grown up with the premise of 'love at first sight' so how could that love come to fruition with different meetings.

In The Meet Cute Curse, Eloise can't help herself but to look for love with others, even if really she should be looking for love within herself. It's a light-hearted read with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments but there is a deeper meaning to it. It's never too late to start again and the most important thing is to be honest with yourself.

Most of my work through Zortex has a relation back to anxiety. It's a personal mission of mine to help those who are suffering the same way that I have. In fiction work, that comes through representation of what it feels like to have anxiety. It's not the main plot, but it still plays a part in the story and the character's development.

Real-life often serves as the inspiration for many novels. Whether it's an experience we've had or a thought that's crossed our mind after witnessing something. Creativity is everywhere once you open yourself to it.

If you're interested in my upcoming novel The Meet Cute Curse, make sure to sign up to our newsletter, follow us on Instagram or Facebook and follow on Amazon.